Take Back Democracy

Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice is a partner affiliate of Move to Amend, a growing coalition formed in September 2009 committed to social and economic justice that puts people before corporations. Move to Amend is calling for a Constitutional Amendment to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights. We call our program Take Back Democracy–Oxford because, while working toward an amendment is vitally important, there are many avenues that also deserve attention.

As part of our campaign we formed a coalition with other Oxford groups to join the increasing number of communities that passed resolutions calling for an amendment. Oxford City Council passed our resolution unanimously. We presented the following reasons why it was an important issue to be included in Council’s materials and the permanent public record.

Since 1886, people have been told by courts, legislatures, and state agencies that, corporations operating within their midst have more rights than the actual persons. Corporations carry the legal authority and power to nullify democratically enacted Ordinances that seek to protect the health, safety, and welfare of people and nature within their community.

Every cause we care about and fight for is affected by corporate power gained through corporate personhood: voting rights, campaign financing, environment, public education, safe food, social security and public retirement plans, healthcare, unions, consumer protection, and more.

Legislation alone will not resolve this imbalance of political power, nor will overturning Citizens United.

We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.